Seven weeks after being launched into space on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 aircraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and after further extensive testing, the first satellite of GovSat, a public private partnership between the Luxembourg government and the satellite operator SES is getting down to business.

In a statement released by GovSat, Étienne Schneider, the LSAP deputy prime minister, minister of the economy and minister of defense, said:

“I would like to thank all the members of the GovSat team for their hard work and commitment to bring the GovSat-1 spacecraft into operational service. This was the next major step in our public-private partnership with SES. GovSat-1 will further enhance Luxembourg's excellent reputation in the global satellite communications market. The satellite will enable Luxembourg to meet its expanding obligations in European defense and to further diversify the national economy in a key technology sector.”

“GovSat-1 is a real game-changer when it comes to providing secure satellite communications to governments and institutions. The satellite’s X-band capacity is the most powerful and flexible available,” stated Patrick Biewer, chief executive officer of GovSat. “GovSat-1, coupled with our Secure Mission Operations Centre, forms one of the most reliable, cost efficient and secure satellite communications capabilities on the market, and we are delighted to announce that it has entered into operational service.”